In the sport of paintball, players use a paintball gun or “marker,” to fire ammunition (paintballs) that bursts upon impact. To generate the force necessary to burst the paintballs on impact, paintball markers drive the paintballs using compressed gas, usually Carbon Dioxide (CO2) or a Nitrogen/High Pressure Air (N2/HPA) mixture These gases are stored in compressed gas tanks, also referred to collectively as gas tanks, air tanks, air canisters, or canisters.
The tank comprises, generally, a canister, and a valve closing off an open end of the canister. One end of the valve is designed to securely screw into the canister, usually by threaded engagement. Another end of the valve is threaded for engagement with a portion of, for example, a paintball marker, or a paintball marker accessory that is designed to receive the tank.
FIG. 1 shows standard valve 10 used in threaded engagement with a canister (not shown), a burst disk assembly 15 that engages the valve through the hole 15a (shown in phantom), and a threaded portion 16 for engaging an air tank. Internally, the valve 10 comprises a depressor pin 20, a depressor pin spring 22, and a retainer plug 24. The threaded portion 16, may be provided with a vent hole 17 that releases pressure built up inside the valve to atmosphere.
There are drawbacks of these prior art canister and valve combinations, especially as the canister begins unscrewing from the valve. During intentional or unintentional unscrewing, pressure from the compressed gas inside the canister presses against the valve and can unexpectedly separate the canister and valve as the engaged threads between the canister and valve decrease. The only known safety mechanism for the valve and canister interface is directed at pressure relief from inside the valve and is shown in prior art FIG. 1.